americans overseas
Out of context: Reply #58
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- finnpimp0
A little media theory. Pretty long post, so you might wanna grab a cup of coffee before starting..
The really interesting part in this conflict is the media's growing role in telling the truth. It was pretty big already in Gulf'91, but now it has even more power - and guys with agendas behind the scenes.
Since everything in the media - even the news - is a subjective observation of what is going on, I encourage you to be on the lookout for media-trickery in news broadcasts if this conflict escalates. Manipulation and white lies are laid so thick over what we see that it's almost impossible to miss. But be focused on what the footage in news are "saying", what do the reporters want to tell by showing those tanks rolling away into the sunset? Or displaying that black'n'white smartbomb-cam smashing into a bunker?
This is a prime opportunity to learn how the masses tick and how one can shape the truth to fit into an agenda. Could come in handy if you're into advertisement. :)
For example.. In Gulf'91, when Saddam torched all those oil wells in Kuwait and spilled it around, news agencys showed that combined with footage from the Exxon Valdez-oil spill from '89, showing some poor birds trying to get loose from that sticky oil.
No-one noticed anything until someone pointed out that those birds don't live in the middle-east region. Whoops.
But why did media show it then? Think about it. Desert Storm was a military success, but a political fiasco. Saddam was still alive and kickin' in his bunker, so it was time to amp up the public support; this time the environmentalists. Since environmentalists are usually pacifistic (or at least anti-war), they needed some reason to also say "Goddamn that's right, bomb that nature-destroyng tyrant's ass".
Yeah well, just an example. Keep your eyes peeled ppl. Hope you enjoyed the little lesson.
markus aka. _fp